In the world of combat sports, originality is everything. From fighting styles to unique aesthetics and signature walkouts, fighters carve their own identities. But when Ilia Topuria and his brother, Aleksandre, revealed their back tattoos, fans couldn’t help but see something eerily familiar—a design strikingly similar to that of Irish superstar Conor McGregor.
This wasn’t the first time the Topuria brothers had drawn comparisons to ‘The Notorious’. Ilia had already been accused of mimicking McGregor’s aura and his approach to the fight game. And now, with his older brother sporting the same tattoo down his spine, fans were quick to call them out in a scathing post on Reddit.
Conor McGregor’s tattoos are as iconic as his famed left hand. The crowned gorilla on his chest, the Bengal tiger on his stomach, and the helix-shaped crucifix down his spine—they all tell a story. But Ilia Topuria also sports a lot of tattoos on the same locations on his body, even a tiger on his chest with the letter ‘T’ on his throat, representing his last name.
Max Holloway, the former featherweight king, even called out ‘El Matador’ for being a “copycat” ahead of UFC 308. ‘Blessed’ stated, “You know the guy. He’s a copycat. This guy’s a copycat. Down to the tattoos, his aura to the way he approaches fights. At the end of the day, you’ve got to earn that moment… he’s just trying to steal stuff.”
Now, with Aleksandre Topuria sporting a matching tattoo ahead of his UFC 312 debut, the accusations of copying have reignited. Fans wasted no time in sharing their thoughts and here’s a look at what they had to say!
‘Copycat’ accusations mount for Topuria brothers as fans spot Conor McGregor’s tattoo design
Many fans saw the matching tattoos as nothing more than an uninspired copy. In MMA, fighters take pride in their individuality, and seeing two brothers with similar ink—especially ones mimicking Conor McGregor—felt uninspired.
“That’s pretty lame not gonna lie.”
So, what if they copied Brock Lesnar instead? The former UFC heavyweight champion and WWE star is known for the massive sword tattooed on his chest with the point coming up to his throat. But would that have been a better choice than copying ‘The Notorious’? What do you think?
“Should’ve got a big a** sword on his chest.”
Even Jamahal Hill, a former light-heavyweight champion, couldn’t escape the stray shots coming at him. ‘Sweet Dreams’ and his infamous chest of two-thumbs up has drawn plenty of laughs in the MMA community. As such, some fans were quick to throw a cheeky jab his way as well.
“ I can’t get the other thumb turned around but you know what I mean.”
A few fans rolled their eyes at the controversy altogether. The Caduceus—a staff with two snakes wrapped around it—is a common symbol of medicine and healing. To them, the accusations of copying were overblown but the resemblance to McGregor’s design can’t be overlooked.
“It’s just a caduceus. Calm down.”
Others were left confused at the Topuria brother in the picture. While Ilia Topuria has already made a name for himself with his incredible rise to claim the UFC featherweight crown, his brother Aleksandre isn’t that well known yet. At UFC 312, the older Topuria sibling will be taking on Colby Thicknesse on the prelim card. But will he be able to carry on the legacy of his brother and announce his arrival with a thunderous performance? Only time will tell.
“Is that actually Topuria? Looks like a completely different person.”
In conclusion, tattoos don’t win fights—skills do. While the Topuria brothers’ ink has sparked another round of Conor McGregor comparisons, only their performances inside the cage will determine their legacy. Ilia has already made his mark by claiming the featherweight throne, but Aleksandre’s journey is just beginning. Can he step out of his brother’s shadow and make a name for himself at UFC 312? Will they both escape the McGregor-copycat allegations? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
The post “That’s Pretty Lame”- Topuria Brothers Caught Copying Conor McGregor’s Tattoo Again as Fans Deliver Verdict on UFC 312 Star appeared first on EssentiallySports.